Photography, It's All About Light

[Curryman]

Fundamentally, photography is the art of recording and manipulating light. Using just a few simple light-control techniques and some inexpensive equipment can dramatically improve your miniatures photography. I've just posted a tutorial over at my blog, The Screaming Alpha, that illustrates a couple of these easy tricks. Follow the link for more details.

http://thescreamingalpha.com/2009/06/09/photography-its-all-about-light/

[Sangennaru]

that's reaòòy true, but there's another way to give images the right look: using computer graphic programs!
i really think it is not cheating: it helps you to correct the photo to give to the image the real look the mini has!

[Hammers]

Nice one. Hmm, I don't know, should I merge this one with an existing photo thread or make it a separate sticky topic?

[Curryman]

that's reaòòy true, but there's another way to give images the right look: using computer graphic programs!
i really think it is not cheating: it helps you to correct the photo to give to the image the real look the mini has!

You can do a lot with Photoshop or its equivalent, it's true. However, the results will never be as good as if you get it right in the camera in the first place. It's the choice between making a bad photo into an ok one vs. an ok photo into a good or great shot.

Plus, the whole point of the article is that it's pretty simple to dramatically improve your shots with just a couple of simple techniques. I personally find that easier and quicker than endless tweaking with Photoshop.

[Dolmot]

Yup. It's quite easy to correct the overall level and tone of light in software. However, trying to fix stuff like shine spots from too harsh lighting (flash) will basically mean airbrushing the whole photo from scratch, pixel by pixel. Do as much as you ever can in the setup phase. Photo editing is the plan B.

[Bako]

Thanks for this bit of knowledge. I always find photographing organisms (people,  other animals) and "outside" stuff miles easier.

[Curryman]

Bako, I agree that life shooting is much less technically demanding than studio work. I'm certainly learning new things about taking pics of minis every time I set up to do a session. That said, I do like the control of the studio. Since you can mange all the variables, once you get a technique down you can reproduce a given effect more or less at will, which is pretty cool.

@Hammers I'm flattered you think it's worth a sticky, but seeing as how there are already a fair number of stickies in play, I wonder if combining it with an existing thread might not be the way to go. Maybe call it "Photo tips and tricks" or some such.

[Orctrader]

...It's all about light...

It certainly is.  Not that I use the same lighting techniques that you demonstrate.

...there's another way to give images the right look: using computer graphic programs!

But you can't polish a turd. 

Personally, I use Photo-editing as little as possible because I would rather spend that time painting. 

[Sangennaru]

well, using programs cannot help you with points of light or stuff like that, but I use LIGHTROOM, and in 5 minutes you can make really better a whole set of photos! it is used by photographs and it is really, really fast, and quite easy

anyway, choosing the right light is still the best way to do! ^^

[Plynkes]

Have you posted this before? I'm certain I've read it before, I distinctly remember that yellow Space Marine.  I think this was the article that persuaded me that it was the flash that was ruining all my photos and making my painting look shit. Haven't looked back since I gave up using that infernal device.

Ta. 

[Curryman]

Actually, as it says in the note at the beginning of the article, this is a reprint of a post from a site called Wee Toy Soldiers. Hyun, the webmaster, has had to step away from the hobby and kindly invited anyone interested to republish his work to keep it available once his pre-paid hosting runs out. I greatly admire his quality articles so I've been reprinting one of them each Tuesday. They've been very well-received, and I'm sure Hyun would be pleased that his stuff is being read and enjoyed by new audiences. I've e-mailed him about it but I never heard back.

So in short, it's quite possible you've read this before, Plynkes. I think the article is from two or three years ago.

[Bako]

But you can't polish a turd. 

Unfortunately, you're in the wrong, my good sir. I really haven't the clue as to why people went to lengths to prove this possible though.

[Gluteus Maximus]

But you can't polish a turd. 

Unfortunately, you're in the wrong, my good sir. I really haven't the clue as to why people went to lengths to prove this possible though.

Suggest anything is impossible and some loon will try and prove you wrong 

That is an excellent article, which I missed first time around, so thanks for posting the URL, Curryman!

[Hammers]

Made sticky as a separate topic.

[Blue in vt]

FYI...this Link seems to be dead...

Blue